the other side
by alittletasteofheaven
Summary: He never wanted to get married. But for her, he'd make an exception. — rivetra.


**SNK (c) Isayama Hajime**

**A/N: **Hey ya'll. So, my heart is in pieces after episode 22. I wanted to write something quick to get out all my rivetra feels because guys, the episode _reduced me to tears._

I always wondered: what if Petra didn't actually want to get married? I see a lot of fan art centered around the suggested idea that Petra wanted to marry Levi, but what if that wasn't the case? We only assumed that because of Petra's father. But what if he just misinterpreted her words because he's the overprotective father who doesn't like any sort of boy she talks about? I kinda peg him as that kind of guy. So, here's the result of that!

* * *

She never wanted to get married.

She wasn't that sort of woman who gushed over big, white wedding dresses, or dreamed of walking down the aisle, flowers in one hand and her father's arm in the other.

No, Petra didn't want that. She was content with just knowing that there was someone who loved her enough to stay with her forever, whether there was ring on her finger or not.

She didn't think her father understood this, or perhaps her words were misinterpreted by him in her letters. She would always write about how admirable her Captain was, how glad she was that he picked her, how just being around him made her happy.

Her father would always take these sentiments the wrong way, writing back to her that perhaps she was much too young to marry, that she should think about how much of her life she has ahead of her.

Petra would always ignore these parts. She didn't think he quite understood what she said, and she didn't want to spell out the painful truth for him: she didn't know _how much_ time she had in this life. Marriage was a lifelong commitment, and she knew that in her line of work, such ties were just unpractical.

She could never promise someone that.

That's why she always thought to live her life to the fullest each day. She didn't know when her time would come, and she didn't want to either.

That's why she was glad Levi held the same train of thought.

"_Again_, he thinks I'm just pining to marry… he just doesn't understand."

"Hm," came Levi's detached voice, clearly not listening to her ramblings.

"I mean, has he ever considered that maybe I just don't want to get married in general?" Petra whined as she paced back and forth in Levi's bedroom, one of her father's letters in her hand. "What's so wrong with being in love with someone and that's it? Love doesn't always lead to marriage!"

Levi put his pen down with an annoyed sigh. "Petra, you're distracting me."

"But Captain!" she whined, grabbing onto his jacket, "Don't you think it's stupid too?!"

"_Levi_," he corrected, prying her hands off his uniform. "And I don't really care."

She huffed and crossed her arms, glaring childishly down at him. "You don't even care that he's insulting you in his letters? He thinks you're some kind of devil, trying to steal me away from him."

"No, I don't."

She groaned and plopped herself on his bed, burying her face into his sheets. Levi cast her an exasperated glance before going back to writing his report.

Neither spoke for a while, the only sound in the room coming from the quiet _scritch-scritch _of Levi's pen. Petra flipped herself over, lifting her arm to rest on her forehead.

"Hey, Levi."

He sighed, putting down his pen and shifted in his chair to face her. "What is it?"

She looked up at the ceiling, her eyes tracing the connecting lines of the bricks. "After all this is over and if we both survive… would you want to get married?"

"No," he said immediately, turning back around.

Petra's lips twitched upwards into a smile. "Thought so."

"We wouldn't need that. You said it yourself, didn't you?"

She stood and walked over to his sitting form, snaking her arms around his neck. "We're on the same page, then," she murmured, gently turning his face to hers and slid her lips over his.

* * *

It was cold.

Levi usually didn't mind the cold; he couldn't stand the heat and the filthy sweat that came with it. The cold was always a refreshing change. But today, the air chilled him to his very bones.

He walked along the cobble path, leaves crunching under his feet as he passed stone after stone. He hated visiting this place, but he knew it was the only way he would be able to see her. Every month he would take leave on the same day, coming to visit her first before anyone else.

After all, she was special.

"Petra," he greeted quietly, sitting down when he reached his destination. She did not reply.

He placed a flower in front of her; a daffodil. Her favorite. She did not reach out to take it.

"Here, I brought the dark roast coffee beans you seem to like so much. I'll never understand why; it tastes like shit." he said as he placed the bag in front of her, as blunt as ever. She always laughed at his snide comments. Today, she did not.

He fell silent then, staring ahead at her. Nearly ten minutes had passed before he moved again.

He fished into his jacket pocket, pulling out two gold rings.

He slipped one on his left ring finger and held onto the other.

"We agreed not to, but I changed my mind."

He placed the other ring on her grave.

"We'll meet again." he mumbled, standing up and walking back to the cobble path to see the others.

He never wanted to get married.

But for her, he'd make an exception.

* * *

**A/N(2): **I was gonna write something fluffy at first but... I got carried away with my sad feelings. **  
**

Also, I am in fact writing a part 2 to **enlighten me**, so be on the lookout. It might take some time though, because school starts again for me in two days. *sobs* But it should be up by next week at the latest.


End file.
